Prime Minister Naoto Kan took a defensive stance Monday, offering to reflect the opinions of the opposition camp in drawing up the fiscal 2011 budget.
Kan, president of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, made the overture for cooperation on the legislative agenda during his first Diet debate since taking over the reins of government in early June from Yukio Hatoyama.
He is facing a divided Diet after the DPJ-led ruling coalition's loss of its Upper House majority in the July 11 election.